The world I'm working on

World History

The following covers the biggest of world history events, organized by era (each of which is approximately 1,000 years long).

NOTE: Your character may not know all of the following.

Pre-History/Before Time/Before the 1st Era

This time period, the exact length of which is widely disputed by scholars, includes the Origins of Gaia. The end of this time is marked by the deus leaving Gaia for the Heavens and the Hells.

The 1st Era

The 1st Era saw the first mundane and new souls brought into existence, as well as the rise of the half-races. It was a time of sprawling empires and kingdoms, which swiftly changed hands.

When the gods and devils left Gaia, they also left behind their possessions. These artifacts were immensely powerful, and kingdoms rose and fell as men fought for control of the artifacts and wielded them to great effect.

The first order of wizards was formed largely in response to this great and destructive practice. Armed with the most powerful arcane magics in existence, they converted the very mountains the deus once called home into a great labryinth, and took the artifacts and hid them in elaborate trapped dungeons within. These are now known as the Labyrinthine Mountains.

The 2nd Era

The 2nd Era saw a greater degree of stability come to the Kingdoms and nations of Gaia.

St. Brian Boru united the many kingdoms of Celtibrea, St. Bahamut slew a large number of scions in the Nordlands, and Abram declared his prophecy of the future.

The 3rd Era

With the 3rd Era, the world was divided into a small number of mostly large nations, each with their own form of governance. After a massive attack of corrupted from the dark lands of The Devils’ Maw, the nations came together forming a Great Alliance. It was only later they found out the reason the corrupted marched was in an attempt to destroy the amulet worn by the Pontifex Maximus of the Theocracy of Abramia, which allowed Tiamat to possess and control the wearer.
Tiamat had been capturing sorcerers and those with the dragon blood since the beginning of the 1st Era, having them transported to her Hellish realm where she made their dragon blood take control, transforming them into Dragonborn bound by Her will.
Her plan was to have them return to the face of Gaia once they were large enough in number to wipe out all the creations of the gods and devils alike, who depend on worship for their continued sustenance. With the deus all destroyed, Gaia would be hers at last.
Her plan was discovered however; the great inventor St. Leonardo Mechanus created a race of sentient golems, known as the War Forged, to fight the Dragonborn army. Meanwhile a band of powerful reborn heroes and villians alike set aside their differences to descend to Tiamat’s Hell Realm and end her tyranny and trickery once and for all.
When they were successful – at great cost – the Dragonborn who remained regained their own autonomy. Those who managed to return to Gaia were swiftly raised to Sainthood and departed the Prime Material Plane to take their place in the Heavens.

The 4th Era
With entire generations living in the pain of war at the end of the 3rd Era, and most of the heroes having ascended to the Heavens, it should have come as little surprise that a small group of villians rose swiftly in power, seizing practical immortality and taking control of the entire known world by force and trickery.
This time came to be known as the Dark Times, and those who escaped death or slavery were only able to do so by taking refuge underground and in secret sewers.
It would take generations for the Resistance to grow powerful enough, and the vile rulers of the world lax enough, for the rebellion to finally succeed in ending their dark rule.
Unfortunately, this rebellion was not able to act before much destruction was waged on Gaia, including the extermination of the Hobbit race, and the loss of knowledge in the art of crafting most forms of magical arms, armor, and items.

The 5th Era

Our current campaigns take place early in the 5th Era. With the Dark Times now in the past, mankind has set about the task of rebuilding and enjoying freedom and fresh air once again.
Few kingdoms exist anymore, with the people instead gathered in largely autonomous city-states, towns and villages with loose alliances and treaties. Very small kingdoms and governments do exist, but most are hesitant to ever again see a return to large nations under consolidated rulers.